Automated feeding systems are well known for the supply of feed to animals—particularly liquids such as milk or a milk replacer to young animals.
The predominant design for such systems provides several animal feeding stalls, each individually connected to a central feed distribution unit. This central unit delivers feed to each stall—potentially according to a feed plan for an individual animal identified as being present in a stall.
This direct distribution of feed requires individual feed lines between the central unit and the stalls. In operations requiring the supply of feed to a number of stalls, capital costs associated with the quantity of lines and labour time in installation due to complexity can escalate rapidly. Further, this arrangement has a number of attributes which are less than ideal in a liquid feeding environment.
For example, individual lines have the potential for spoilage of the liquid feed due to due to long residence time should the demand for feed be minimal on a particular stall. As well as the costs associated with wastage, this also creates health risks should this spoiled feed be delivered to an animal.
With regard to health, poor sanitation of animal feeding equipment can result in the creation of sources of disease and increase the likelihood of infection being spread. Direct distribution systems to a number of stalls require complicated wash routines to maintain cleanliness of the system—reducing reliability due to the increased likelihood of bugs occurring.
Further, the feed line diameter is generally minimised in order to reduce the capital costs associated with a feed system. However, smaller diameter feed lines also have a greater susceptibility to blockages which can have implications for cleanliness as well as preventing feed being delivered to an animal.
It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.
Throughout this specification, the word “comprise”, or variations thereof such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.